Apparatus for treating smoke and gases



Aug. 13, 1957 c. L/CLARK- 2,802,543

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SMOKE AND GASES v Filed Deo. 24. 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet l www@ wmvbw KHz@ INVENTOR. es e-r L /a/' ATTGRNEYS A E cu Aug. 13, 1957 c. L. CLARK APARATUS FOR TREATING SMOKE AND GASES 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, ,1955

INVENTOR. (es fer L. @/d/ BY y [52m/wm A-r To RNE Ys.

Aug. 13, 1957 c. L CLARK APPARATUS FOR TREATING SMOKE AND GASES 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 24, 1953 BY v l ATTORNEYS.

All@ 13, 1957 c. L.. CLARK i APPARATUS FOR TREATING sMoxE: AND GASES Filed Dec. 24, 1953 Y 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 @u d m mi, n@ N l -----mil mw N @wm mw m mmm Mm mm um E um. IIFJHIIHHUIH U|l|l4| rlll III|IINQ I, .Il l m V ---li Il 1 IJ--- ,.Wwwwwj- Nv .f l y Lm fw. ,m wo wm. wm.

ATTORNEYS Aug. 13, 1957 c. CLARK APPARATUS FOR TREATING SMOKE AND GASES Filed Dec. 24, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOIL` BY S 4 A T TORNEYS Aug. 13, 1957 c. L. CLARK 2,802,543

l APPARATUS FOR TREATING SMOKE AND GASES Filed Dec. 24, 1953 6 Sheets-SheetV 6 6.19493145224 L. '6D/afk ATTRNEYS.

APPARATUS Fon TREATING SMOKE AND GASES chester L. clark, Providence, n. 1.

Application December 24, 1953, Serial No. 400,238 12 claims. (ci. `13s- 5) This invention relates to an apparatus and method of treating smoke and gases which are the products of cornbustion.

A problem is often presented in disposing of waste materials, especially in large cities or congested areas. kIn these locations apartment houses, markets, and the like have waste material in the form of vegetables, garbage, papers, and so forth, which it is desired to dispose of. A convenient way of disposing of this material is by burning the same. In burning this material, smoke and obnoxious gases are produced, and because of city ordinances, the producing of such smoke and obnoxious gases is prohibited.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of handling smoke and gases from the burning of such waste so that whenthey are emitted to the air, the smoke will be sufficiently cleaned of unburned matter and the gases will be free from obnoxious odors so as to be unobjectionable.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to so wash the gases as to remove a majority of the carbonaceous material and odors therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to Wash the majority ofthe undesirable matter from the gases and then lter from the gases the remainder of any carbonaceous particles or odors.

Another object of the invention is to so wash the gases and so dry the washed gases that they may be filtered without clogging the filter.

Another object of the invention is to utilize water for washing the gases and to recirculate the water so that a minimum of water may be used for performing the desired object.

Another object of the invention is to pass the gases to be cleaned through a conduit which has a water film extending substantially completely across the cross section of the passage so that all gases which pass through the passage must pass through the water film.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stack or chimney open at all times for the dropping of refuse into the tire and a control of this stack so that the gases to be emitted will pass through the cleaning mechanism prior to passing up the stack even though the stack is open at all times for receiving waste material to be burned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control so that the cleaning mechanism will operate only when the gases are suiciently dense with carbonaceous or other foreign matter to require their cleaning.

Another object of the invention is to cool the gases just prior to the last step of filtering so that the carbonaceous material which may be cooled and collected on the filter will have capacity to adsorb other gases and serve as an increasing lter medium for the better operation of the filtering of the gases formed.

Another object of the invention is to utilize the washing water as a means for sealing the passages for the gases through the apparatus and providing a different path for the washing water.

United States Patent ICC YAnother object of the invention is to provide a series of unit cases which may be stacked in different relationships dependingupon the space available and the connecting of these units one with the other through openings in the walls thereof.

.With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Y

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus for treating the smoke or gases from burned refuse;

Figure 2 is a sectional view showing the top portion of the structure `illustrated in Figure 1 `removed and looking into the upper compartment of the apparatus and with dotted lines indicating the position of mechanism below this compartment omitted for the sake of clarity of the operation in the upper part of the unit;

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on substantially line 5 5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a sectional view on substantially line 6--6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a sectional view `similar to Figure 4 substantially on line 7-7 of Figure 2 but showing the water film forming screens; l

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the furnace smoke stack and the connections from the furnace through my apparatus and back to the smokestack illustrating in a general way theA system employed in this invention;

Figure 9 is a larger plan view of the eliminator plates;

Figure 10 is a side elevational view of a modified apparatus;

Figure 11 is a plan sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the water supply tank of the apparatus of Figure 10 showing draining conduits therefrom;

Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 respectively are section views taken substantially along lines 12-12, 13-13, 14---14 and 15-15 respectively of Figure 10;

Figure 16 is a section view of a fragmental portion of afilter;

Figure 17 is a fragmental partial sectional view showing the water conduits.

TheV general layout of this invention is perhaps best understood by reference rst to Figure 8. The furnace 15 is shown with the .tire box 16 above the grate 17 which may be loaded through `door 18 or be loaded by dropping refuse 'from the smoke stack 19 directly into the re box. The apparatus which is primarily the subject through the .conduit 27 from the conduit 21 to the con- Y duit 26. i

With a view of automatically controlling the operation of the apparatus 20 so that the same may be shut off when there is no lire in the furnace and to be placed in operation upon starting a lire in the furnace, the conduit 21 has opposite aligned openings 31 and 32 through the walls thereof at a location between the furnace and the by-pass conduit 27, A photo tube 29, which sfn the electric circuit (not shown) of motor blower. 24 and motor fan 28, is positioned opposite one of said openings, as` for example opening 31, 'to receive light rays Y 3 projecting through said openings from an exciter lamp 30 which is positioned opposite the said opening 32. The photo tube may be shielded (not shown) in an obvious way to receive only light. from lamp V30, which also may 'have .ya protecting shield (not shown). The photo-tube,'isv arranged to control the said electric circuit such' that when smoke or gas owing past the said openings 31, 32'is sufficiently dense as to block the light of lamp 39 from falling on the photo tube, the electric circuit will be closed at the blower 24 and openl at the fan 28. Assuming that no refuse is being burned in the furnace, the light rays of lamp 30 will fall on the photo tube and actuate the same to close the -circuit at the fan 28Y`to `set the same in operation and draw through the by-pass 27 and conduit 21 the motor'bl'ower 24 being at rest. Upon the furnace being charged wtih refuse and set to burning, suflicient of the smoke made will be drawn past openings 31', 32`to by-pass 27. Upon such smoke becoming sufliciently dense as to block the light from lamp 30 from falling on the photo tube, the same will be Y-actuated to open the circuit at the fan 28 and close the circuit at the blower 24 to set the same in action to draw smoke through the apparatus from corn duit 21 through inlet opening 22. When the refuse has been completely burned or the smoke flowing through conduit 21 becomes sufiiciently clear so as to not require passing through the apparatus 20, the light of lamp 30 will fall on photo tube 29 to actuate the same in the other ydirection to open the circuit at the motor blower 24 and close the circuit at the fan 2S to return the apparatus 20 to the idle conditionthereof.

When the blower 24 is in operation, the pressure of the out ow of gases in conduit 26 will be somewhat in excess of the normal updraft of smoke in` stack 19 so as to cause but a portionl of the gases to bedirected upwardly while another portion is directed downwardly at one side of the bale 33 as shown by arrow 34 and thus form a block to prevent the gases of combustion in the furnace from being normally pulled up the stack 19 but rather will cause them to circulate through the apparatus 20. Thus, the stack 19 is left open at all times for the dropping of refuse into the furnace such as down they chute of an apartment house as shown by arrow 34 although the gases will travel through the cleaning apparatus and thence up the stack after being cleaned.

The apparatus designated 20 consists essentially of a washing area for the gases, a drying area for the gases, and a ltering area for the gases. The washing area performs the functio'nof removing about 75 Vpercent of the solid matter contained in the gases passing through the inlet 22, such as the heavy particles of combustion. The drying areaserves to remove the moisture or water vapor which has been picked up by the gases during washing so as to condition the gases for eicient filtration, it having been found thatA gases with considerable moisture in them serve to quickly clog a tilter, making filter cleaning frequent. The dryingv therefore links. the washing with the filtering so that the ltering may be performed in the efficientcleaning of the gases. The ltering serves to remove the carbonaceous material which still remains in the gases and to accumulate the carbonaceous material on the filter, and as this carbonaceous material is prepared for iiltering, it is cooled so that the carbonaceous material, as it builds up on the filter, has a capacity for adsorbing other gases to be ltered and serves to increase the eiciency of the apparatus. in the removal of -other undesirable solids and gaseous` material.

'1he,washingarea of the apparatus 20 consists of a pair of units 35 and 36 which are in the form of generally rectangular casings with open sides positioned side by side with their adjacent sides provided with fianges-37land 38` secured together as shownin Figure 4. A division wall 39 (Fig. 2) is providedat the junction of said flanges and has an opening 40 so as toprovide communication between these'vcasings.. Casing 35 also has a divisionI wall ,or

baiie 41 extending from an end wall 42 to a point short of the opposite end -wall 43 so as to provideV a passage 44 between the two sections of the casing thus divided. The inlet opening 22 is in the end wall 42 at the location of the section 45 of the compartment so that the gases to be treated will enter from conduit 21 through the opening 22 and pass into section 45 thence out through opening 44 into section 46, out of section 46 through the opening 40 to section 47 and out thereof to pass into section 48 through opening 52 at the end of baflie 49 extending from wall S0 of the unit 36 short of the wall S1 to provide said opening 52 leading from section 47 to 48. The bottom wall of the casing 35 is continuous as at 53, Fig. 7, while the bottom wall 54 of the casing 36 has an opening 55 (see Figs. 2 and 7) ir the section 48 thereof, there being a tiange 56 (see Figure 7) about this opening to a height suicient to prevent water which extends over the bottom walls of these casings from passing downwardly through .this opening but permitting the gases to Vpass downwardly out of these casings.

The sections 46, 47, and 48iare each provided with a screen 57 which is shown in greater detail in Figure 3. This screen extends from wall to wall laterally of the length of the section and from the top thereof to a point adjacent the bottom close enough to be below the water level along the bottom wall of the section. Hooks 58 are secured to the top wall of the casing and engage rods 59 secured to the screen 57 to support the same in depending relation. rlfhese screens may be removed through the top wall 60 of the casing35 and 61 of the casing 36 by meansof openings 62V and 63 which are provided with covers 64 and 65over them, the diagonal of these openings afording suicic'nt room for the removal of the screen therefrom for cleaning as may be desired. No screen is provided in the iirst section 4S, as it is in this section that the large particles of solid matter are struck from the gases, and a screen might clog up too quickly if located in this tirst section.

The washing of the gases occurs in these four serially connected sections by means of four nozzles 66 at each end of each section. These nozzles receive water under pressure from a common conduit 67 which is branched at each insert as at 68. By mounting these nozzles in the opposite ends of each section (see Figure 2) the water spray designated in dotted lines 69 from the nozzles are `directed toward each other in flaring streams so as to meet at substantially the center of the section and completely iill the cross section of each section so that all gases will pass through some water in moving through the section 45, and large solid particles which are struck with the stream will be dropped to the floor of the casing.

In the section 46 and subsequent sections, the screen 57 which is there located will receive the water from the nozzles at the opposite ends and form a film of water which will be broken by the gases as they pass through this lm in passing through the sections. flowing down the screens from its upper portion to its lower portion, which will continually wash the screen and remove `any solid particles which may be caught on the screen, thus keeping the screen clean while the water lm will serve :to wash the gases as they pass through the film in moving through each section.

In order that the water which collects on the Hoor of each of the casings need not pass in the serpentine path of the gases, the partitions 39, 41, and 49 are spaced from the floor of the casings 53 and 54 as shown art 70, 71, and 72 (Fig. 7) and in order to provide a water level higher thanV the loweredges of these walls and above the space 70, 71, and 712, water drainfoft conduits are located in section 47 at 73 and 74 (Fig. 2) and extend within the section to a greater height than the openings 70, 71, and 7.2 so that the water will be maintained in sealing relation with the lower part ofy these partitions and will overow into the, drain conduits to pass out of the section 47. lit will, of

The water is continually cdurse, beunderstood that the iiangel56- about Athe gas opening 55 is Aof a height greater than the height of the conduits 73, 74 and above the water level.

1 The gases pass from the washing operation through the conduit 55 into a chamber 75 (Figure 7) the lower portion of which forms a water tank 76 into which the overilow conduits 73 and 74 are submerged to return the spent waters to be cleaned and reused as will hereinafter appear. The gases pass from this chamber 75 through eliminator plates 77 (see Figure 9) into a chamber 78 on one side of iilter 79 and thence through lter 79 to the area 80 on the other side of the lter and then out through outlet 23 to the pumpor blower land thence to conduit 25 and to the stack., The blower 24serves to draw the gases through the sinuous path of the'washer through the eliminator plates and theiilters andjclrive it back into the stack under pressure greater than normal stack pressure. =The' .eliminator plates `77 provide a series of sinuous paths through which the gases pass, the plates being of zig-zag formation as at 81 and 82 as shown in planin Figure 9 with ilanges 83 and 84 so that water vapor or moisture which maybe in the gas being treated will be taken Iout of the gas and the gas dried as it passes through these plates. As the gasesA pass into chamber 75 they are intermixed with cold fresh air which is drawn through the opening 85 controlled by means of a damper 86 (Fig. l) in the conduit 87 which is open to atmosphere. This fresh air serves to cool the gases passing into chamber 75 and serves to condense the water vapor into larger drops which assists in knocking out moisture from the gases as theyy pass through the eliminator plates and also assists in driving any gases out of any carbonaceous material which may have been absorbed therein while at high heat. This damper also serves to provide a more constant draft inthe liuc. These eliminator `plates are provided as a multiple unit which may be slid along channels 88 (Fig.\ 6) to and from position by providing an opening in the end wall 89 (Fig. 1) of the lower portion of the casing which maybe closed by door 90 (Fig. 4). The eliminator plates` are spaced -at their upper edges from the wall 54 4(Figs. 7 and 17) and ballie plates 91 extend from this wall a distance beyond the upper edges of the plates vas shown to prevent theffree passage of gases around the rupper edges 'of the plates. The lower end of the plates are closed by a wall 92, preventing thefree passage of the gases around the lower edges ofthe eliminator plates, thus causing the gases to pass through the eliminator plates. Wall 92 is slightlyinclined to dischargewashing waterinto the tank. A

LThe filters 79 (Figure 7) are shown in three sections or units, which together divide the compartmentinto areas 78 and 80, and each of these is supported by channel-bars 94, 9S. Each lter is removably inserted in position by beingslid through the side wall 96 (see Figure 4) which ifs covered as at 97 after which the iilters are in place. These filters each comprise a surface which Will collect the carbonaceous material remaining in the gases after washing.

lEach `of `the filters; a fragmentary portion of which is shown in sectional view Figure 16, comprises a supporting wire screen 180 of one half inch mesh. On this screen 180, I place a layer of loose iiber glass 181 in sheet form about one inch thick. A second or dividing wire screen 182 of one half inch mesh is placed on the layer of ber glass :and on this screen I place a'second'layer 183 about one inch thick of loose iiber glass which has been mixed withhydrated lime and lamp black. lA second'supportingwire screen of lone half inch mesh 184 is placed in the second layer of filtering material so as to support the layers between the screen with the dividing screen 182 therebetween to maintain the layers separated and for convenience in buildingthe iilter..` The screens 180 and `184 are supported on. open frames (not shown) which are secured to each vother and form lter units. The iilter unitsthus formed are six foot square. f Toformthe one inch second layer.183, I Atake about forty pounds of loose ber glass which is obtained in a loose lumpy condition, two pounds of hydrated lime, and one-pound of lamp black and machine mix these very thoroughly. The mixing of the loose liber glass with the lime `and lamp black reduces the liber glass to a porous mass which serves to intercept the smaller particles of carbonaceousy matter 185 which may have passed through the rst layer 181. The lime tends to maintain the second layer in a rather dry condition to avoid matting. This filter collects the carbonaceous material 185 which has been cooled and thus has such gases as it originally contained driven from it. As the carbonaceous material collects, it provides a somewhat denser lilter, and the carbonaceous material serves as a filter medium to additionally lter the gases as they pass therethrough. By reason of the gases being relatively dry by their passage through `the eliminator, they do not clog the filter as otherwise would be the case if the collected particles were in a moist condition, which would enable them to pack solidly on the iilter and block it up.

. The make-up tank 76 (see Figures 4, 6, 7 and 17 is supplied with water through conduit 76 which is con trolled by hand valve 76a and extends to a lioat valve 76b (Figs. 6 and 17 which maintains the water level at level 93 in the tank. Water from this tank is used for supplying the conduits 67 `by being drawn from the tank by pump` shown `in Figure 4 and passes through pipes 98 and 99 to the conduit 67 `for the washing of the gases; A valve 101 manually controls the conduit 98. `In order that the water that is withdrawn from the tank by the pump may be free of foreign matter, I have providedV a screen 103 (see Figure 7) located diagonally across the area from which the water is withdrawn so that the con` tamination in the tank will not reach the Aoutlet passage for the water from the tank. Further, this area of the tank from which the water is withdrawn is shielded by an imperforate plate 104 just below the surface of the Water extending from the diagonal screen'to the wall of the tank so that any discharge from the gases on to the surface of the water will be prevented from circulating by being picked up from the discharge from the tank. In order that sludge may be removed which iioats on the water, I provide an overiiow from the tank at all times to carry off the surface sludge. A by-pass conduit 102 (see Figs. 4 and 17) extends from the supply conduit 76' ahead of the valve 76a and is controlled by manually operable valve 102 to discharge into the tank a small amount to cause overflow into the conduit 102er to carry oating sludge with it to the sewer or drain 102b. This conduit is .also connected at 102C (Fig. l) to the lower part of the tank for draining the tank which is controlled by manual valve 102:1.

In order to Wash the eliminator plates at intervals, there is also tapped into this conduit 102'a conduit 110 which is controlled by manual valve 112 and which connects to a spray nozzle 111 located between wall 54 and over the upper edges of the eliminator plates so as to wash down these eliminator plates and clear them from any contaminant which might collect upon them. This water runs" down to the bottom of these plates and thence back into the make-up tank. In order to automatically control the ow through the pipe 102, to the tank 76, a solenoid valve S is located below the juncture ofthe conduits 102 and 110 which is controlled by the electrical power for operating the entire apparatus so that this valve will close when the power is shut off and will shut off the water being supplied to the tank. Thus, this Water will not be running when the apparatus is shut ol. It may be desirable to utilize soda ash in the water to maintain it on the alkaline side and protect the metal parts of the lapparatus from corrosion.

In Figures l0 to l5, inclusive, I have shown a modilied apparatus in which a plurality of casings 120, 121, 122 and 123 are arranged in contact side by side and one above the fother. These casings are generally similar to each other of generally 'rectangular-shape and'withthe exceptionn of casing-p 120 are provided with anopenrng 124 at eacli end which isnormally closed by ai hinged door 1'25'to provide for" inspection of different-units when desired. These doors may be held closed in any manner, as for example by a latch and catch 125". The casing 120 is similarly provided with an opening 124Y at one end which isclosed by a similar hinged door 125. The other end of the casing 128 has an inlet opening 126 which maybe connected to the conduit 21 for admission of smoke and gases from the furnace 15. Thus, the casings form adjacent chambers 127, 128, 129 and 130 respectively, which inter-communicate with each other through matched openings through adjacent walls of said chambers as will hereinafter appear. The casings may be secured together in any appropriate manner (not shown). Y d

At one side of the assembled stack of unit chambers, there is provided two additional casings 131 and 132 (Figure l) which are superimposed one on the other and shown as being'smaller in cross section than the casings 120, etc. These latter casings abut the adjacent walls of casing 122, 123 and form chambers 133 and 134 which intercommunicate with each other and with chamber 123 as will hereinafter appear. Y

The chamber 133 has an inlet opening 135 having a suitable conduit 136 leading to the atmosphere and may be automatically controlled by a weighted damper or like device 137 (see Figure 10). The outer side ofrchamber 133 has an opening through which an assembly of eliminator plate units 138 may be passed into the chamber. This unit has a wall 139 which, when the unit is in position within the chamber, forms a closure for the opening.

The chamber 134 has an outlet opening 1411Which may i be connected to the conduit 23 (Fig. 8) to the motor blower 24. In this chamber 134 there is positioned a filter unit 142 which is inserted within the chamber through an open side of the chamber as at`143 (Fig. 14) to rest upon support bars 144 (Fig. l5). The unit comprises individual lters 145 extending generally vertically and separated by walls 146 and mounted on a wall 147 (Fig. 14) which forms a closure for the said open side 143. The filters 14S extend on an upward slant and are spaced both from the top and bottom of the chamber Wall and form passages 148 and 149. The pass-age 149 has direct communication with the efuent side of the eliminator unit as by means of a passage 151 throughthe adjacenttop and bottom walls of chambers 133 and 134. Passage 148 has direct communication With the outlet 141'.

The make-up tank 152 is in the present instance positioned beneath the casing 131 and abuts the bottom wall thereof and the adjacent wall portion of casing 123 (Figure l0). A drain conduit 153 leads from washing chambers 127 and 130 to said tank 152 for the returnof spent water thereto. Water under pressure drawn from a screened portion 152 of the tank as by means of a motor-operated pump 154 is supplied through conduit 155 to spray headers 156 which are positioned at each end of the apparatus and connected to each other by a conduit 157. Each header 156 is similar and comprises4 a generally vertical pipe 158 from which there extends lateral conduits 159 on each side of saidpipe 158. To these lateral conduits there are connected a plurality of spray nozzles 160 which are positioned within'each ofV the said chambers 127--130 at a location closely adjacentthe end walls thereof. There is also provided asimilar nozzle 161 on the inner side o f each door 125, and these are connected to the vertical portion 158 of the headers as bymeans of a flexible conduit 162, thereby to permit opening of each door 125 Without any necessity of disconnecting such conduits 162; A manuallyl operated' valve 163- i`s` provided: in `the, conduit 162 to shut ol the. flow through individual conduits 162 should it1 become desirable to open a door 12S-'during operation ofthe apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus shown in Figure' 10 is similar tothe operation -ofY the apparatus shown in Figure l. Smoke and gases from burning refuseA in furnace 15V (Fig. 8) are drawn into the apparatus through inlet 126 by means of the force drafts through the apparatus caused by the operation of the Vmotor blower 24. The smoke and gases hereinafter to be referred to generally as smoke owing into chamber 127 (see Figure 12) will be washed by the spray of water from nozzles 160, 161 and large unburned matter which has been drawn from the furnace with the smoke will lbe knocked downto be carried by the ilow of water draining from Ychamber 127 through opening 164 into conduit 153 and thenceto tank 152. The smoke and gasesfnow partially free oflarge matter will pass upwardly through openings V165 into chamber 128 to be washedby the spray of the nozzles within the chamber. The return ow of the spent Water from chamber 128 will drainv into chamber 127 through said opening 165 and form a continuous curtain of water about the edges of said opening which with the spray of the adjacent nozzlesy 160, 161 will form a liquid sheet through which the smoke in passing therethrough will be additionally washed in passing from chamber 127 to chamber 128. A screen 166 is also provided' about midway of chamber 128, and the spray from the nozzles 160, 161 within said chamber 128 impinges upon this screen on eachside thereof and causes a downwardly moving ow of a lm'of water on both sides of the screen through which the smoke must pass and be washed free of foreign matter contained therein. The smoke passes from chamber 128 through openings 167 at the distant end of the` chamber into chamber 129 to be similarly washed and then passes throughr screen 168 of the chamber. The smoke is thence drawn into the, lower chamber- 130 through opening 169. to be additionally Washed by the downow of spent water draining from chamber 129 into chamber 130. The smoke having nowY been washed in chamber 130 in` a similar manner, passes through screen 170 of this chamber 130 to pass out throughopening 171 into chamber 133 through opening 171. Spent water from chamber 130 will bereturned to tank 152 through opening 172 connecting to conduit V153.

As previouslyy described, the conduit 136 is open to atmosphere. and controlled automatically Vto permit a predetermined volume off fresh air to be drawn into chamber 133 to admix with the now cleansed smoke to cool and remove a certain amount of moistureV therefrom. The smoke'now passes between the eliminator-plates to further'removemoisture therefrom. The moisture or water removed. from the smoke willow along the bottom of the chamber at the in-uent side of the said eliminator plates tor drain through slanted duct 173 ((see Figure 10) into chamber 123V and out through opening 172 as previously described. The smoke now practicallyy free of water vwill pass from the euent side of the eliminator plates and out of chamber 133 through opening 151 into passage 149 and thence pass through the filters 145 to passage 148 andA out through outlet conduit141.v The filters` and eliminator of the present modification are similar to. those previously described and perform a like function.

The make-up tank hasl a1 oat valve. 175 in the fresh waterV supply liue/ 176 thereto to control the water level in said tank which is in the'lform of a Yclosed chamber having an opening providedwitha door for access Within the tank. Y t Y Water supply is `through conduit 176'1to the make-up tank which is controlled by valve 177.` The eliminator plates are washed'through the branch conduit'178 con# trolled by hand-operated valve 179, while a solenoid valve 180 below.l the juncturel of the pipes 176' andv 178 serves to shut ot the supply of water to the tank when the apparatus is stopped.

The water level is maintained at 181 which is controlled by the over'ow pipe V132. shown in plan in Figure 11 from which the drain is to the sewer through conduit 183. A drain for the entire tank is at 184 which is controlled by valve 185.

I claim: I

1. In an 'apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, means to direct water spray lengthwise of the passage, said tortuous passage being formed by a plurality of casings with the wall of one casing contiguous with the wall of another casing and with openings in each of said contacting walls registering with each other to provide a passage from one to the other, some of the casings being superimposed one on the other and the openings from one to the other providing a vertical path for the drainage of water in the form of a sheet to intercept the gases and wash the same, and a conduit beneath the lower casing with a drain from the lower casing into the conduit.Y

2. In an apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, means to direct water spray lengthwise of the passage, said tortuous passage being formed' by a plurality of casings with the wall of one casing contiguous with the wall of another casing and with openings in each of said contacting walls registering with each other to provide a passage from one to the other, some of the casings being superimposed one on the other and the openings from one to the other providing Ia vertical path for the drainage of water in the form of a sheet to intercept the gases and wash the same, and a conduit beneath the lower casing with a drain from the lower casing into the conduit aligned vertically with the path for the drain of water from the superimposed casings.

3. In an apparatus Ifor treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, spray nozzles directed lengthwise of said passage, a water tank for the supply of water to said spray nozzles, means to return the used water to said tank, a discharge outlet from said tank, a screen separating the area about said discharge outlet from the remainder of said tank and a baffle plate below the water level extending parallel to the surface of the water in the tank from said screen to the wall of said tank in the screen separated area to shield the outlet from accumulating settlings from the air over the surface of the water in the tank.

4. In an apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, spray nozzles directed lengthwise of said passage, a water tank, conduits from said tank to said spray nozzles, means to return the -used water to said tank, a discharge outlet from said tank, an overflow conduit at the water surface for collecting surface contaminant on the water Iin the tank, and means independent of said nozzles operable during the draining of the overow conduit toV supply said tank with a predetermined quantity of water to cause overflow of water into said overflow conduit from said tank.

5. In an apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, spray nozzles directed lengthwise of said passage, a Water tank, conduits from said tank to said spray nozzles, means to return the used water to said tank, a discharge outlet from said tank, an overow conduit at the water surface for collecting surface contaminant on the water of said tank, a iioat valve for maintaining the water level in said tank, and means independent of said nozzles operable during the draining of the overow conduit t-o supply said tank with a prede- 10 termined quantity'bf water to. causejoverllow of water into said overow conduit from said tank;v y

V6. In an apparatus for treating the smoke andi gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, vertically disposed eliminator plates providing a zig-zag air passage positioned at the discharge end of said passage through which the gases pass to remove water therefrom, washing means directed against said eliminator plates to clean the same by vertical drainage therefrom, a water tank, means for directing the used water from said washing means into the tank, and manually controlled means for intermittently supplying at least some of the washing means from said tank.

7. In an apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, a casing having a plurality of partition walls extending from one vertical side of the casing to adjacent the opposite vertical side thereof and alternating as to the side from which they extend providing a tortuous passage for the gases, each wall being spaced from the bottom of the casing, water spray in said passage to wash the gases, said water falling to the bottom of the passage and flowing in the space below the walls out of said passage without following said tortuous path for the gases said water being supplied in a volume to seal the space below the walls against air following the path of water flow.

8. In an apparatus as in claim 7 wherein means are provided to maintain the water level on the bottom of said casing above said space to prevent the passage of gases therethrough.

9. In an yapparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, means for `washing the gases in said passage, eliminator plates positioned at the discharge end of said passage for removing the wash water from said gases, means to filter the drier gases, and damper controlled means positioned at the discharge end of said passageto admit air and cool the gases just prior to their entering the eliminator plates.

10. In an apparatus for tre-ating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, means providing a tortuous passage for the gases, means for washing the gases in said passage, eliminator plates positioned at the discharge end of said passage through which the gases pass to remove water therefrom, and means positioned at the discharge end of said passage to ladmit cooler air into the gases just prior to entering the eliminator plates to condense water carried by the gases prior to the gases entering the eliminator plates. v

11. In an apparatus for treating the smoke and gaseous products of combustion, an enclosure having lower sideby-side casings and upper side-by-side casings superimposed on said lower casings in vline therewith and with the wall-s of each of said upper and lower casings at one end portion thereof having openings which rregister forming a passageway therethrough and with the adjacent side walls between the upper casings at the other end thereof having openings which register forming a passageway therethrough, said passageways providing a tortuous passage for the gases through said casings, means to direct water spray lengthwise of said casings, and an opening in the lower wall of the lower casing directly beneath the said passageways between the upper and lower casings for drainage of water from said casings.

l2. In an apparatus as in cl-aim 11 wherein each of said casings is a separate unit.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 516,674 Butterlield Mar. 20, 1894 904,301 Black etal Nov. 17, 1908 1,010,068 P-avella Nov. 28, 191'1 1,023,260 Leuhrs et al. A-pr. 16, 1912 (Other references on following page) 1,824,713 Fisher et a1. 1.-- Sep-1. 22; 1931 10 

